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Night People (Lee Dorsey album)

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1978 studio album by Lee Dorsey
Night People
Studio album by Lee Dorsey
Released1978
GenreR&B, soul, rock and roll
LabelABC
ProducerAllen Toussaint
Lee Dorsey chronology
Yes We Can
(1970) 		Night People
(1978) 		All Ways Funky
(1982)

Night People is an album by the American musician Lee Dorsey, released in 1978. It was Dorsey's final studio album, although a few country-influenced tunes were recorded before his death in 1986.

Although the album failed to chart, the title track peaked at No. 93 on the Billboard Hot Soul Singles chart.

Production

The album was produced by Allen Toussaint, with whom Dorsey had collaborated many times over the years. Toussaint also wrote the album's songs. The producer used Chocolate Milk, a New Orleans band, as Dorsey's backup musicians. Irma Thomas provided backing vocals.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic
Robert ChristgauA−
DownBeat
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide

Robert Christgau deemed the album "astonishingly listenable," writing that "Dorsey's subtle, small-scale rock and roll genre statement defines songwriter-producer Toussaint better than Toussaint the performer ever has." Texas Monthly called the title track "a mad celebration of soul-stomping, pressure-cooking Crescent City spirit." High Fidelity wrote that "Dorsey is in fine shape for the bouncy, frequently humorous songs." The Gazette said that "the instrumentation is lively, brassy, and Dorsey's sophisticated soul vocalese shines bright."

AllMusic called the album "a shade too slick, with hints of disco and a couple of rare mawkish misfires by Allen Toussaint."

Track listing

No.TitleLength
1."Say It Again"2:56
2."God Must Have Blessed America"3:37
3."Soul Mine"3:59
4."Keep on Doing It to Me"3:07
5."Thank You"3:24
6."Night People"4:20
7."Can I Be the One"4:33
8."Babe"3:48
9."Draining"4:24

References

  1. "Lee Dorsey Biography & History". AllMusic.
  2. The Da Capo Companion to 20th-Century Popular Music. Da Capo Press. 1995. p. 264.
  3. ^ "The Star in Creasy Overalls". Record Collector.
  4. "Lee Dorsey". Billboard.
  5. "Lee Dorsey, 59, Rock Singer Popular in the 50's and 60's". The New York Times. December 10, 1986.
  6. "Signings". Billboard. Vol. 89, no. 51. Dec 24, 1977. p. 104.
  7. ^ Everett, Todd (June 1978). "Lee Dorsey: Night People". High Fidelity. Vol. 28, no. 6. pp. 133, 135.
  8. ^ "Lee Dorsey Night People". DownBeat. Vol. 45, no. 14. August 10, 1978. p. 40.
  9. ^ "Night People". AllMusic.
  10. ^ "Lee Dorsey". Robert Christgau.
  11. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3. MUZE. p. 91.
  12. MusicHound R&B: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. 1998. p. 181.
  13. Patoski, Joe Nick (May 1978). "On Record". Texas Monthly. Vol. 6, no. 6. p. 151.
  14. "Soul still has quality". The Gazette. 4 Mar 1978. p. 29.
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